These Ariana Grande Throwback Pics Will Make You Feel Better About Your Own Style Evolution

Ariana Grande is everything. The 21-year-old is talented, gorgeous, and has a glow that prevents her from looking like the rest of us mortal peasants. But before Ari was a flawless pop diva climbing her way up the charts and into our hearts, she was an awkward teen who had baby fat and made questionable hair choices just like you did. Don’t believe us? Take a look at the pics of the star circa dreaded awkward years – a time when she slayed on Nickelodeon and Big Sean was just some dude or something.

1 Meet 14-year-old Ariana.

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Who had curls on fleek back in ’08.

2 And before the signature cat ears…

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Was blazing red locks.

3 Here she is in 2010.

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That belt and chunky platforms would never fly with current Ari, but everyone has to learn, right?

4 You weren’t the only one who had a phase of wearing black and spikes

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…and/or everything from Hot Topic.

5 Or with questionable hair style choices.

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It happens.

6 16-year-old Ari started to glam it up.

But she still had that irresistible baby face.

7 And then this happened.

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And now your mind is really blown while feeling 120-years-old.

8 In 2011, Ari started to grow into her own.

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She discovered the ponytail.

9 While keeping her innocence in tact.

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Big hair bows and tights under shorts. We can’t.

10 She also experimented with a more mature look.

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And never went back, because who does?

11 She was the epitome of America’s Sweetheart.

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Literally, wearing cupcakes on her outfit.

12 She experimented with bangs.

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Classic mistake that none of us fully regret.

13 At the 2011 Grammys, she started getting her ish together.

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She’s starting to look a little more familiar.

14 In 2012 though, she proved to still be just an innocent little butterfly.